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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Together Gordon and Tolkien formed what?

2. Father Francis was still angry with Ronald for what?

3. Many people question how Tolkien could create a mythology without a clear presence of ________ considering his devout Catholic faith.

4. How does Mabel feel when Arthur tells his father that he cannot see returning to England on a permanent basis?

5. It was during this time that Tolkien started to do what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Father Francis feel about Ronald's engagement to Edith?

2. Why is Mabel worried about providing for her children?

3. What does Ronald think of Exeter College?

4. Why is Arthur Tolkien in South Africa?

5. How do many people question Tolkien in regards to his mythology and devout Catholic faith? What is Tolkien's response?

6. How does Ronald spend his final year at King Edward's?

7. When does Mabel arrive in South Africa? What takes place at the time of their wedding?

8. What happens during the summer of 1914?

9. What did Tolkien do when he returned to Oxford?

10. Why is Ronald allowed to contact Edith? What did Ronald learn about Edith?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tolkien has a few close friends.

Part 1) Who does he consider to be his close friends? What does he have in common with these individuals?

Part 2) How do these friends influence his life and work? When these friends are lost, for example, due to death, how is Tolkien affected? What does this reveal about him?

Part 3) Who are your close friends? How do they influence you? How do you support one another in various aspects of your life? How might your life change if those friends were no longer in your life?

Essay Topic 2

Tolkien and his work become overnight sensations.

Part 1) How does this occur? What events have led to this success? Was this type of success predicted earlier in his life? Explain.

Part 2) Describe the type of behavior displayed by those interested in Tolkien and his work. What does this reveal about these Tolkien fans? How does Tolkien feel about this kind of attention? How does it affect him?

Part 3) How might Tolkien's fame and life after he and his work became part of pop culture reflect the lives of celebrities today? How might this explain the struggles faced by celebrities today? How would you feel if you had been Tolkien? How might this fame have affected you?

Essay Topic 3

Ronald graduates from Oxford University.

Part 1) How does he prepare for attending Oxford? Who aids him in this preparation? How is his success at Oxford foreshadowed?

Part 2) How does his time at Oxford improve and nurture his writing and love for language and learning? How does he, in turn, benefit Oxford?

Part 3) How important does his life at Oxford become at various points throughout his life?

(see the answer keys)

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